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bĕnĕfĭcĭum (better than bĕnĭfĭcĭ-um), ii, n. [beneficus].

  1. I. A benefaction, kindness, favor, benefit, service, εὐεργέτημα (sunt qui ita distinguunt, quaedam beneficia esse, quaedam officia, quaedam ministeria. Beneficium esse, quod alienus det: alienus est, qui potuit sine reprehensione cessare: officium esse filii, uxoris et earum personarum, quas necessitudo suscitat et ferre opem jubet: ministerium esse servi, quem condicio sua eo loco posuit, ut nihil eorum, quae praestat, imputet superiori, Sen. Ben.3, 18, 1);
    (in prose freq.; in poetry, for metrical reasons, only in play-writers; most freq. in Ter.).
    1. A. In gen.: nullum beneficium esse duco id, quod, quoi facias, non placet, Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 12: beneficium accipere, Ter. Ad. 2, 3, 1: pro maleficio beneficium reddere, id. Phorm. 2, 2, 22: immemor beneficii, id. And. 1, 1, 17: cupio aliquos parere amicos beneficio meo, id. Eun. 1, 2, 69: beneficium verbis initum re comprobare, id. And. 5, 1, 5: nec enim si tuam ob causam cuiquam commodes, beneficium illud habendum est, sed feneratio, Cic. Fin. 2, 35, 117; id. Off. 2. 20, 70: beneficio adligari: beneficio victus esse, Cic. Planc. 33, 81; cf.: Jugurtham beneficiis vincere, Sall. J. 9, 3: collocare, Cic. Off. 1, 15, 49 al.; 2, 20, 69: dare, id. ib. 1, 15, 48; id. Fam. 13, 8, 3’ deferre, id. Off. 1, 15, 49: conferre in aliquem, id. ib. 1, 14, 45: quia magna mihi debebat beneficia, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 12, 1: in republicā multo praestat benefici quam malefici immemorem esse, Sall. J. 31, 28: senatus et populus Romanus benefici et injuriae memor esse solet, id. ib. 104, 5; Petr. 126, 4: in iis (hominibus) beneficio ac maleficio abstineri aecum censent, Liv. 5, 3, 8: immortali memoriā retinere beneficia, Nep. Att. 11, 5 al.
      Of the favor of the people in giving their vote: quidquid hoc beneficio populi Romani atque hac potestate praetoriā possum, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 24, 69, and 71.
    2. B. Esp.
      1. 1. Beneficio, through favor, by the help, aid, support, mediation: beneficio tuo salvus, thanks to you, Cic. Fam. 11, 22, 1; 13, 35, 1: nostri consulatūs beneficio, by means of, id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 1, § 6: servari beneficio Caesaris, Vell. 2, 71, 1: hoc beneficio, by this means, Ter. Heaut. 2, 4, 14: sortium beneficio, by the lucky turn of, Caes. B. G. 1, 53 Herz.: longissimae aetatis, Quint. 3, 1, 9: ingenii, id. 2, 11, 2; 5, 10, 121: eloquentiae, Tac. Or. 8 al.; cf.: fortunae beneficium, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 4, 2.
          1. (β) In gen., by the agency of: quod beneficio ejus contingit, Dig. 39, 2, 40, § 1: beneficio furis, ib. 47, 2, 46 pr.
      2. 2. Alicujus beneficii facere (habere, etc.), to make dependent on one’s bounty or favor (post-Aug.): commeatus a senatu peti solitos benefici sui fecit, Suet. Claud. 23: ut munus imperii beneficii sui faceret, Just. 13, 4, 9; cf.: adeo quidem dominis servi beneficia possunt dare, ut ipsos saepe beneficii sui fecerint, Sen. Ben. 3, 18, 4: sed nihil habebimus nisi beneficii alieni? Quint. 10, 4, 6.
  2. II. Transf. to political life.
    1. A. A distinction, support, favor, promotion (esp. freq. after the Aug. per.): coöptatio collegiorum ad populi beneficium transferebatur, Cic. Lael. 25, 96; id. Phil. 2, 36, 91: quibus omnia populi Romani beneficia dormientibus deferuntur, id. Verr. 2, 5, 70, § 180: in beneficiis ad aerarium delatus, among those recommended to favor, id. Arch. 5, 11 Halm. ad loc.; id. Fam. 7, 5, 3: cum suo magno beneficio esset, under great obligation to his recommendation, id. Phil. 8, 6 Wernsd.; Flor. 4, 2, 92; cf. Suet. Tit. 8.
      So,
      1. 2. Esp. freq. of military promotions (whence beneficiarius, q. v.): quod scribis de beneficiis, scito a me et tribunos militaris et praefectos … delatos esse, Cic. Fam. 5, 20, 7: ut tribuni militum … quae antea dictatorum et consulum ferme fuerant beneficia, Liv. 9, 30, 3: beneficia gratuita esse populi Romani, id. 45, 42, 11; Hirt. B. Afr. 54, 5: per beneficia Nymphidii, promoted, advanced through the favor of Nymphidius, Tac. H. 1, 25; 4, 48 Lips.: beneficii sui centuriones, i. e. his creatures, Suet. Tib. 12: Liber beneficiorum or Beneficium, the book in which the public lands that were bestowed were designated, Hyg. Limit. Const. p. 193 Goes.; Arcad. ib. p. 260.
        So, SERVVS. A. COMMENTARIIS. BENEFICIORVM., Inscr. Grut. 578, 1.
    2. B. A privilege, right (post-Aug.): anulorum, Dig. 48, 7, 42: religionis, ib. 3, 3, 18: militaris, ib. 29, 1, 3.
      Hence, liberorum, a release from the office of judge, received in consequence of having a certain number of children, Suet. Claud. 15; Dig. 49, 8, 1, § 2.
    3. C. Personified, as a god: duos omnino (deos credere), Poenam et Beneficium, Plin. 2, 7, 5, § 14.